A Christmas story: One story of idyllic wonder and genuine love during the holiday season
<p>Lillybelle, 3 (red) leans in to blow out Jesus’ birthday candles.</p>
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POLSON – Warm golden light cloaked everyone in attendance. Girls in fancy dresses and boys in button-up shirts sat in the laps of their cross-legged mothers while others sat on the knees of their parents, grandparents, great grandparents and family friends in chairs, stools and lining the rich fireplace hearth.
On every piece of living room furniture and across the thick rug hugging the floor, an enchanted child watched as Pastor Paul Rowold of Polson’s Good Sheppard Lutheran Church told them the magical story of how Jesus Christ was born.
In the background, a pianist sat at a baby grand piano and played music to accompany the story.
When he was done Rowold asked if anyone was ready to get a present, and the well-behaved children simultaneously erupted in one explosive answer: Yes!
Polson homeowners Ron and Val Valiquette hosted the Christmas party. It was a gift to community children and loving display of the couple’s devotion to their own two adult children who both died unexpectedly in recent years.
“This is our fourth year,” Val Valiquette said. “It helps my husband and I get through Christmas because our children both passed away unexpectedly at 53 and 56.”
When the Valiquette’s daughter passed away, her parents inherited her large Christmas decorations collection.
“Our children loved Christmas,” Val Valiquette said.
In 2011 after the Valiquettes received their daughters collection, they bought their Polson Hill home to house and showcase the items. Ron Valiquette, who is a career builder, converted the home into the perfect place to host an unforgettable Christmas party in honor of their children and in hopes they can pass on the joy of Christmas and story of Jesus Christ to other children.
“We want the children and others enjoy it with us,” Val Valiquette said. “Our children had good memories of Christmas and we want them to have a good memory too. And if even one child remembers us and carries the memories of Christmas along, we’ve done our job.”
Before the party, the Valiquettes got a list of everyone who would attend and shopped for each child personally. Each child got a personally filled stocking with small items, a Bible and other things.
In all, about 50 kids attended. The Valiquettes do all the shopping and preparation for the party and buy everything themselves. Through the years, managers of Walmart, Murdocks and SuperOne all helped the Valiquette get big discounts on items they purchase.
Families, pastors and community leaders from all over the area attended. Two members of the Shriners, Sarge Selk and Doug Stam who reached their 33-degree in the Scottish Rite, attended. The 33rd-degree is the highest level of knowledge a Shriner can earn.
Jared Bell started bringing his daughter Ryleigh, 8 and Kennedy, 6 to the annual party four years ago after the Valiquettes walked into Platt Electric and invited him.
Since then, Bell said the Valiquettes have become good family friends and that his girls call them Grandpa Ron and Grandma Val.
When the party drew closer to its natural end, children, their parents, grand parents and great grandparents gathered in the Valiquettes kitchen. A huge flat cake with glowing candles decorated its message: Happy Birthday Jesus.
Excited children stood around its perimeter, waiting for the perfect time to blow. And when it was time, they let loose on the candles, then each enjoyed a piece of birthday cake.